Sheriff's Captain Strives to Keep Carrollwood Safe

The unincorporated sections of northwest Hillsborough County are densely populated with a number of small to mid-sized communities.

That could pose a problem for members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, who are attempting to keep things like residential burglaries and habitual traffic offenders at bay.

Capt. Andy Ross of sheriff's office's District 3, which includes Original Carrollwood, Citrus Park, Westchase, Keystone, Odessa and Town N' Country, isn't worried. This is even with the extra responsibility of heading the district while Maj. Ray Lawton is out on a special assignment.

"You'd have no way of knowing I was gone," Lawton said. "The district hasn't missed a beat."

Lawton said Ross' ability to solve problems has helped him thrive at the sheriff's office.

"Andy is very good at listening to subordinates who are in the street, and working with them for solutions," Lawton said. "The thing about Andy that makes him special is that many people are problem-solvers, but Capt. Ross is good at long-range problem solving."

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Ross, 47, grew up in north Tampa. In college, he majored in biology, but found out he wasn't any good at it. So Ross looked for a career that allowed him to help people. That ended up being law enforcement.

"The direct results of the help you provide people is very rewarding," Ross said. "You are able to provide immediate assistance. It doesn't take years to see the fruits of it. It's a demanding career, but very rewarding."

Ross started his career at the sheriff's office in 1984. He was a reserve then, but was hired two years later as a patrol deputy near what is now Citrus Park Mall. He worked his way up the ranks, working in street level narcotics and traffic. He was promoted to captain of District 3 in 2009.

"It's the most densely populated of the sheriff's office districts," Ross said of the district, which contains about 200,000 people. "It has unique things, like more people per square mile than other districts. That poses challenges."

Westchase and Original Carrollwood have low crime rates per capita, Ross said, but juvenile crime is an issue in Town N' Country.

"We're seeing an uptick in stolen vehicles," he said. "It's mostly motorcycles and scooters. And residential burglary is a constant crime out there."

Ross reminds residents to be smart about their safety by locking car doors and not leaving their valuables in their cars. Also, consider burglar alarms, Ross said.

"Even if you do get broken into, the amount of property stolen is typically less because the thieves have to hurry," he said. "They know somebody is coming."

Ross, a Temple Terrace resident who is married with three kids, said he wants the public to get a better idea of what the sheriff's office does by being open to getting to know officials there.

"We do much more than just law enforcement," he said. "When nobody else will help people, we do."

Do you have a particular crime concern you'd like the sheriff's office to know about? Tell us about it in the comments section!